Brush making machine



DC 14, 1965 J. ABATE, JR., ETAL 3,223,453

yBRUSH MAKING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. '7, 1962 INVENTOR5 JOSEPH/15A 7'15/q JR. /l//CHA 5L @Ri/SLADES/F.

j h' ATTORNEY Dec 1,4, 1955 J. ABATE. JR., ETAL 3,223,453

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE k n 1 N N IN VENTORS I Jogg/DH /15/1 75,11//211 //OH Affi/ /PE/S TAD?, SF?

Dec 14, 1965 J. ABATE, JR.. ETAL 3,223,453

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 7, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 76 fos /972 rNvENToRs deaf/DH EATE, c/ff. ///c/-fA-L fPE/STAOT, 9%?.

Dec. 14, 1965 J, ABATE, JR.. ETAL. 3,223,453

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov. '7, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

M45 l f24' INVENTORS JOSEPH ABM-,c/R.

Dec- 14, 1965 J. ABATE, JR.. ETAL 3,223,453

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. '7, 1962 l INVENTORS da afp/7 A 5 A 7' N 3L/f?. EX /V/ c H A EL /E/s #1073 5R.

BY f5 M, Wy

ATTORNEY Dec. 14, 1965 J. ABATE, JR., ETAL 3,223,453

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed NOV. 7. 1962 mi w MJS m WFH/T) W79 A .MA

Zh m JAQ H OY M/B United States Patent C) 3,223,453 BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Joseph Abate, Jr., Moosic, and Michael Dreistadt, Sr., Old Forge, Pa., assignors to Star Products, Inc., Moosic, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 235,947 17 Claims. (Cl. 300-2) This invention relates to a novel machine of extremely simple construction which is capable of functioning automatically for producing cylindrical brushes or brush-like elements of preselected sizes and of the type consisting of a core of twisted wires having a multiplicity of bristles radiating in all directions from said core.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine capable of utilizing bristles or bers of various materials including plastics which are extremely slippery and difficult to hold in engagement with the wire strands which are intertwisted to form the brush core.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel structure whereby the wire portions are intertwisted as a continuous operation during the manufacture of the brush, and immediately after the bristles or fibers are applied to the wires, to prevent slippage of the bristles prior to the anchoring thereof in the twisted convolutions of the wire core.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine having a novel bristle feed by which bristles can be forcibly injected continuously between the traveling wires for forming a brush of substantially uniform bristle density.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of being adjusted for automatic operation for producing either one or a plurality of brushes during each cycle of operation of the machine and wherein the individual brushes of such plurality of brushes thus produced may be of different sizes.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a machine which may be adjusted to vary the extent that the brush core is twisted and/or to increase and tighten the twist of said core after manufacture of the brush has otherwise been completed and prior to automatic discharge of the brush from the machine.

-Still a further object of the invention is to provide a machine having novel means for cutting 01T and discharging the manufactured brush or multiple brushes in completing each cycle of operation of the machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine primarily adapted to produce automatically brush-like elements of different sizes and shapes to be utilized in the making of various ornamental objects.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the machine;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view, taken substantially along the line 2 2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical section-al View, taken substantially along the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view 3,223,453 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 taken substantially along Ia plane as indicated by the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2; v

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 5 5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section-al view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6 6 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional vieW taken substantially along the line 7 7 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the machine;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 9 9 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 10-10 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 11-11 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of the carriage and certain of the parts supported thereby;

FIGURES 13 and 14 are enlarged fragmentary cross sectional views taken substantially along planes as ndicated by the lines 13 13 and 14 14, respectively, of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 15-15 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged side elevational view, partly broken away, of one element of the machine;

FIGURE 17 is a side elevational View of an item manufactured by the machine;

FIGURE 18 is a similar view of a different type of item produced by the machine;

FIGURE 19 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an electric system for the machine, and

FIGURE 20 is an elevational view of details of the machine.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the brush making machine in its entirety is designated generally 20 and includes an elongated rectangular frame, designated generally 21, which is supported at a desired and convenient elevation by depending corner legs 22. The machine frame 21 includes transversely spaced corresponding,

sides 23 and 24 of inwardly opening channel shape cross section having coplanar top ilanges 25, as best seen in FIGURE 2.

A base plate 26 is disposed on and secured to the top flanges 25 near an end wall 27 of the frame 21, and a wall 2S is fixed to and rises from the plate 26, remote from the frame wall 27.

Two bars 29 are secured to and extend upwardly from an inner side of the wall 2S, beneath which the plate 26 is disposed, in transversely spaced relation t-o one another,`

magazine, designated generally 34, which includes a side wall 35 and a side wall 36. The wall 35 is supported by two or more rods 37 which extend outwardly from vertically spaced parts of one of the uprights 29, and the wall 36 is supported by a single rod 38 which extends outwardly from a lower part of the other upright 29. The walls 35 and 36 have externally flanged openings 39 which slidably engage the rods 37 and 38 and which carry setscrews 40 for clamping the walls 35 and 36 at different distances from the uprights 29. The wall 35 extends substantially from top to bottom of the magazine 34, whereas the wall 36 terminates below the upper edge of the wall 28 and has one end which substantially abuts against said wall 28 to prevent the wall 36 from turning on the rod 38. y s

I As best seen in FIGURE 2, the wall 28 has a transversely elongated opening 41 which is substantially bowtie shaped, and said wall is provided with an opening 42 which extends downwardly from the intermediate portion of the AAopening 41. A U-shaped bearing member 43 is detachably secured by fastenings 44 to the front side of the wall 28, that is, the side thereof facing away from the magazine 34, around the opening 42, to receive an 'axle member 45 which journals a wheel 46 in the bearing block 43 and opening 42.

Two bars 47 are secured in spaced apart substantially parallel relation to one another by spacing members 48 which are disposed therebetween and fastenings 49 which extend through said spacing members and bars, as best seen in FIGURES 3 and 6. Corresponding ends of the bars 47 'extend forwardly through the opening 42 so as to straddle the wheel 46, and the axle 45 extends through said bar ends for supporting the bars on the wall 28. As best seen in FIGURE 3, a block 50 is secured to bottom edges of the bars 47, remote from ends thereof engaged by the axle 45, and said block 50 restsl on a bolt or other support '51 which is threadedly secured in and rises from the plate 26 and which may be vertically adjusted for leveling the upper edges of the bars 47, which constitute the magazine bottom and which are kstraddled by the lower ends of the uprights 30. A mass of bristle material, designated generally 52, is shown in FIGURE 1 contained in the magazine 34. The material52 comprises bristles, bers or filaments of uniform length, corresponding ends of which abut against the wall 35. The other ends of the bristles 52, located near the bottom of the mass, abut against the inner side of the wall 36. The walls 35 and 36 are spaced apart as seen in FIGURE 7 a distance corresponding to the length of the individual bristles or laments 52 for centering the bristles or filaments over the bars or magazine bottom 47. The walls 35 and 36 are made adjustable to accommodate bristles of different lengths up to approximately the length of the opening 41.v As it will be apparent, only the intermediate portions of the lowermost bristles rest upon the upper edges ojf the bars 47 which form rails.

The bars 47 have complementary openings 53 which extend throughout a substantial portion of the length thereof to Vslidably receive a bar 54 in each opening 53. IA feeder bar 55 ts movably between the bars 47 and also is movably disposed between the slide bars 54, and has a depending end 56 whichis disposed between portions of the bars 54 and pivotally connected thereto by a pivot element 57. The feeder bar 55, near its other forward end, has a depending hook portion 58 in which is formed a transversely elongated opening 59 to receive a pin 60 which is supported by the bars 54. A pin 61 engages through the apex of a bell crank 62 and is supported by the slide bars 54 to mount said bell crank for oscillating movement between the bars 54 and 47 and, additionally, for sliding movement between said bars 47. A shorter arm or nose 63 extends forwardly from the pivot 61 loosely into a rearwardly opening recess 64 of the hook portion 58, while the longer bell crank arm 65 extends downwardly from between the bars 47 and is pivotally connected at 66 to an end portion of a pitman or connecting rod 67. The upper edge of the feed bar 55 is provided with teeth 68, all of which are inclined toward the opening 41.

As seen in FIGURE 6, a shaft 69 extends laterally from the block 50 to provide a journal for a belt pulley 70 and a conventional friction clutch 71, which is disposed on the outer side of the pulley 70 and which includes a friction element 72 interposed between the pulley 70 kand a disc 73 of the clutch. An electric motor 74 is supported in the frame 21 on a bracket 75, and an endless belt 76 is trained around a drive pulley 77 of the motor 74 and around the pulley 70, said belt extending through a notch 78 of the plate 26, as seen in FIGURE 3. The other end of the pitman 67 is connected to a crankpin 79 on the outer -side of the clutch disc 73. The operation of the feeder mechanism for feeding the bristles 52 from the magazine 34 through the opening 41, will hereinafter be described.

An arch shaped bearing block 80 is mounted on the forward side of the wall 28, above the bearing block 43 by screw fastenings 81 which engage elongated openings 82 of said bearing block, for adjusting the bearing block toward and away from the bearing block 43, as will hereinafter be described. An axle 83, corresponding to the axle 45, extends through the bearing block 80 for journaling a wheel 84 therein, which corresponds to the wheel 46.

A forked shaped bristle stop 85 engages slidably through the top portion of the bearing 80 and has corresponding legs 86 which straddle the wheel 84 and each of which is provided with an elongated opening 87, as seen in FIGURE 16, for slidably engaging the axle 83. The legs 86 terminate at their lower ends in points 88. A pneumatic ram 89 is secured to a plate 90 which is mounted above the wall 28 and secured to the uprights 29. A piston rod 91 of the ram 89 is connected by a link 92 to an upwardly extending shank 93 of the bristle stop 85. `Compressed air may be supplied to either end of the ram 89 by tubes 94 and 95 which lead from a suitable source of compressed air through a solenoid valve 96, for Ioperating the bristle stop, as will hereinafter be described.

Two wires 97 and 98 lead into the machine 21 around guide pulleys 99, as seen in FIGURE 3, for the wire 97 and around guide pulleys 100, as seen in FIGURES 1 and l1, for the wire 98. The wheels 46 and 84 have corresponding grooves 101 extending around the peripheries thereof. The wire 97 extends upwardly from its guide pulleys 99 through a groove 102 in the forward side of the wall 28, into the opening 42 and the groove of the lower wheel 46, and thence outwardly or forwardly between the wheels 46 and 84. The wire 98 extends downwardly from its guide pulleys 100 preferably through a passageway 103 of the bracket supporting the ram 89 and thence through a groove 103 of the wall 28, in which the wheel 84 is partially disposed, and then into the groove 101 of said wheel, to pass outwardly between the peripheries of the two wheels 46 and 84, as best seen in FIGURE 3.

A long air cylinder 104 and a hydro-check 105 extend through the frame end wall 27 and longitudinally in the channel of the frame side 24 to somewhat beyond the wall 28, where the inner ends of the cylinder 104 and hydro-check 105 are secured to a bracket 106 which is mounted in and secured to said side member 24. The piston rods 107 and 108 of the cylinder 104 and the hydro-check 105 extend slidably through the bracket 106 and are adjustably secured to a bracket 109 which is secured to and depends from a carriage 110. Bracket 109 is disposed between the frame sides 23 and 24, and the carriage 110 has rollers 111 which ride on the top tlanges or ways 25, and rollers 112 which engage the inner edges of said ways.

A recessed body member 113, composed of two halves, is mounted on and rises from the carriage and is disposed crosswise thereof. A tubular support 114 is secured at one end in the body 113 by an annular retaining plate 115 and extends therefrom through the body 113 toward the feeder head, as defined by the wall 28 and the parts supported thereby and located to the left thereof, as seen in FIGURE 3. A shaft 116 extends from a magnetic clutch 117 through the tubular support 114 and has a chuck or collet 118 connected to the end thereof located nearest the feeder head. The shaft 116 is journaled in a bearing 119 which is mounted in the tubular support 114. A tube 120 is disposed around the shaft 116 and collet 118 and is supported on said shaft iby bushings 121. A hub 122 is slidably supported in the inner half of the body 113, which is located nearest the feeder head, by a bushing 123 and has a diaphragm 124 secured to its inner end. 'Ihe periphery of the diaphragm 124 is clamped between the halves of the body 113, and which are secured together by fastenings 125, to divide the recessed portion of the body into chambers 126 and 127. The tube 120 is journaled by an antifriction bearing 128 in the outer end of the hub 122 and which is contained in au annular inwardly opening groove 129 of said hub. An annular seal 130 is provided between the tubular support 114 and hub 122 to prevent leakage of air from the chamber 126; and an annular seal 131 is provided between the hub 122 and body 113 to prevent leakage of air from the chamber 127. An annular cushioning member 132 is provided between parts of the tubular support 114 and the tube 120. Conduits 133 and 134 extend through a solenoid valve 135 to the chambers 126 and 127, respectively. The solenoid valve 135 is carried by the carriage 110 which also supports an electric motor 136, the armature shaft 137 of which is coupled to the collet shaft 116 by the magnetic clutch 117.

An elongated bar 138, as seen 4in FIGURE l, is secured to the frame side 23 by fastenings 139 and is recessed, as seen in FIGURES 13 and 14, to combine with said frame side 23 to form an upwardly opening channel 140, the open top of which is disposed substantially coplanar with the upper surface of the top flange 25 of said frame side. The bar 138 is provided with longitudinally spaced threaded openings 141, which open into the channel 140 for selectively receiving thumbscrews 142. One or more blocks 143 may be adjustably secured by the screws 142 in the channel 140, and the upper edges of said blocks protrude above said channel, as seen in FIGURES 1 and 13, and have beveled ends 144, as seen in FIGURE 1. A bar 145 is adjustably secured in the channel 140 by two or more screws 142 and has a top flange 146 which extends laterally outward from the channel 140 over the upper edge of the bai 138, as seen in FIGURE 14. The ends of the top flange 146 are beveled as seen at 146' in FIGURE 1. As seen in FIGURE 1, the blocks 143, where utilized, are disposed between the bar 145 and the wall 28.

Two conventional micro-switches 147 and 148, as seen in FIGURE 20, are mounted on the carriage 110, outwardly with respect to the frame side 23, and each includes a downwardly inclined arm 149 carrying a roller 150. The rol-ler 150 of the inner switch 147 is disposed to engage the upper edges of the blocks 143, while the roller 150 of the outer switch 148 is spaced outwardly from said blocks 143. The rollers of both switches are positioned to engage the ange 146, all for a purpose which will hereinafter be described.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a portion of the side of the carriage located opposite to the side thereof as seen in FIGURE 1 and also a part of the outer side of the frame side member 24. A hanger member 151 is supported by the carriage 110 and extends downwardly along the frame side 24 in outwardly spaced relation thereto, as seen in FIGURE 10. Two rods 152 and 153 are slidably supported in bushings 154 of the hanger 1.51, longitudinally of the carriage 110, said rods extending laterally in both directions from the depending hanger 151. The rods 152 and 153 have reduced portions 155 and 156, respectively. Micro-switches 157 and 158 are supported by the hanger 151 and each includes a pivoted arm 159 carrying a roller 160. The roller 160` of the switch 157 engages the rod 152 and the roller 160 of the switch 158 engages the rod 153.

Channel members 161 are secured in vertically spaced relation to one another to the outer side of the side member 24 and extend longitudinally thereof to slidably support a plate 162. A setscrew 163, carried by the plate 162, is tightened against the side 24 to secure the plate in different adjusted positions longitudinally of the frame 21. An abutment 164 is supported by and projects outwardly from the plate 162 in the path of travel of the rods 152 and 153 with the carriage 110. An angular bracket 165 is supported by and projects outwardly from the side 24, adjacent the wall 28, and has headed 4bolts 166 and 167 adjustably mounted therein and providing abutments for the rods 152 and 153. A track member 168 is secured to the plate 162 and disposed longitudinally of the frame side 24 to be engaged by a roller 169 of the pivoted arm 170 of a micro-switch 171, which is also carried by the hanger 151. A exible conduit 172 is connected to the hanger 151 to carry the electric wiring for the switches 157, 158 and 171 and an air hose leading to the solenoid valve 135.

A cutter or shear, designated generally 173, and best illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, includes an upright wall member 174 which is supported by a bar 175 secured to bottom flanges of the frame sides 23 and 24. A plate 176 is slidably supported in channels 177 which are secured to the Wall 174, for vertical movement relative to said wall and against one side thereof. Two shear blades 178 are pivotally supported against the outer side of the plate 176 by studs 179 which project outwardly from said plate side and which may carry a link strip 180. A pneumatic cylinder 181 is supported by the lower portion of the wall 174 and has an upwardly extending piston rod 182 which is connected by links 183 to the lower ends of the shear blades 178. The wall 174 has a T-shaped opening 184 in which is movably disposed portions of the fastenings 185, which connect the links 183 to the lower ends of the blades 178, as illustrated in FIGURE 5. Operation of the shear 173 will hereinafter be described.

A conventional electric switch 186 which is manually operated, controls the supply of electric current to the machine 2t). As seen in FIGURE 19, when the switch 186 is closed current is supplied to operate the material feed motor 74 and the collet drive motor 136 which motors thus operate continuously while the machine is in use. As heretofore described, the bristles 52 are fed along the upper edges of the bars 47 from left to right of FIGURES 1, 3 and 6 from the the magazine 34 toward the adjacent peripheral portions of the wheels 46 and 84, and under a shoe 187 which is secured to the wall 28 between the beveled lower ends 188 of the uprights 29, as best seen in FIGURES 7 and 15. The shoe 187 extends through the opening 41 and has furcations 189 which partially straddle the wheel 84 and the points 88 of the bristle stop. The shoe 187 combines with the upper edges of the bars 47, which extend through the opening 41, to provide a passage 190 (FIG. 7) of restricted vertical width through which the bristles are propelled crosswise toward the adjacent portions of the peripheries of the wheels 46 and 84. The clutch 71 is driven clockwise as indicated by the arrow 191 in FIGURE 3, so that as the crankpin 79 moves downwardly and to the left from its full line to its dotted line position of FIG- URE 3, the bell crank 62 will be rocked to its dotted line position for causing the feed bar S5 to swing downwardly about its pivot 57 to disengage the teeth 68 from the bristles in the passage 190 and in the bottom portion of the magazine 34. After the initial downward rocking movement of the feed bar 55, the extent of which is limited by the slot 59 and pin 60, the feed bar will slide with the bars 54 from right to' left of FIG- URE 3 until the crankpin 79 has completed a half revolution. Thereafter, the crankpin commences to push the bell crank 62 which initially rocks back to its full line position for swinging the feed bar 55 upwardly into engagement with the bristles 52 in the magazine 34, after which said feed bar is propelled forwardly, from left to right of FIGURE 3, with the bars 54 and bell crank 62, for propelling the bristles into the passage 190 and for pushing or ejecting the bristles, already in the passage 190, into the restricted space between the peripheries of the wheels 46 and 84. If bristles are not being fed outwardly from between the wheels 46 and 84, so that no more bristles can enter the passage 190, the clutch 71 will slip so that the pulley will rotate relative to the clutch and operation of the feed bar 55 will cease. The clutch 71 `may be of any conventional construction and may be provided with a manual adjustment 192 to vary the pressure which the feed bar will exert against the bristles in the passage 190.

Assuming that the carriage is completing its movement from left to right of FIGURE 1, away from the wall 28, the extent of which movement is determined by the position of the abutment 164, and which movement is in the direction as indicated by the arrow 193 of FIG- URE 8, the rod 153 will initially strike the abutment 164 and will be displaced from left to right of FIGURE 8 relative to the hanger 151. This movement of rod 153 will cause roller 160 of switch 158 to ride out of the recess 156 of said rod and onto its enlarged portion to move the switch arm 159 to its dotted line position of FIGURES 8 and 19 to thus move the contact 194 out of engagement with the Contact 195. This opening of the switch 158 de-energizes an electric circuit 196 from the positive conductor 197 to the solenoid valve 135, and in which circuit the switch 158 is interposed. When the solenoid valve is thus de-energized, air is supplied through the conduit 134 to the chamber 127 and released through the conduit 133 from the chamber 126 so that the diaphragm 124 is deflected to the right of FIGURE 12 for moving the tapered surface 198 of the tube 120 out of engagement with the collet taper 199 to permit the collet to open and disengage the twisted wire ends which were previously gripped therein. The switch 158 is also interposed in an electric circuit 200 which is conr nected to the magnetic clutch 117 to disengage said clutch to stop rotation of the shaft 116 and collet 118.

Referring to FIGURES 8 and 10, after opening of the switch 158 the roller 169 of switch 171 rides onto the actuating strip 168 for moving a contact 201 (FIG. 19) into engagement with contact 201 of switch 171, for completing an electric circuit 202 from the positive conductor 197 through the switch 171 to energize a solenoid 203 which controls the supply of air to the pneumatic cylinder 181. When the solenoid 203 is energized air is supplied to the lower end of the cylinder 181 and bled from the upper end thereof to cause upward movement of the piston rod 182.

As the piston rod 182 moves upwardly from its position of FIGURE 2, the links 183 are prevented from spreading by engagement of the fastenings 185 in the narrow lower portion of the opening 184 so that the links 183, blades 178 and plate 176 move upwardly as a unit with the parts positioned as seen in FIGURE 2, As the fastenings 185 enter the widened top portion of the opening 184 and immediately before striking the upper edge thereof, stops 204, carried by the plate 176, will strike the shoulders or abutments 205 of the channels 177 to interrupt further upward movement of plate 176 and blades 178. At this time, the cutting edges 206l of the blades 178 are disposed to straddle the twisted portions of the wires 97 and 98 which extend horizontally from between the wheels 46 and 84 away from the wall 28. Further upward movement of the piston rod 182 causes the links 183 to spread as the fastenings 185 move laterally away from one another in the widened upper end of the opening 184, so that the cutting edges 206 are swung toward one another as the blades 178 pivot about the fastenings 179 for shearing off the twisted wires just beyond the wheels 46 and 84, as sene in FIGURE 3. While this is occurring, the collet 118 after being released continues to move with the carriage 110 outy of engagement with the twisted wires which were previously gripped therein, so that when the shearing operation is accomplished by the edges 206 the finished product drops from the machine through the frame 21. Items of different types, as will hereinafter become apparent, can be produced by the machine 20, such as the item 240 of FIGURE 17 or the item 241 of FIGURE 18.

After the shearing operation is accomplished, as just previously described, the upper rod 152 strikes the abutment 164 and is displaced from left to right of FIGURE 8, causing the roller 160 of switch 157 to ride out of the recessed part of said rod 152 for moving the roller and switch arm to their dotted line positions of FIGURES 8 and 19, as the roller rides onto the unrestricted part of the rod 152. When this occurs, the movable blade 207 of switch 157 will be displaced out of engagement with the contact 208 and into engagement with a contact 209. When blade 207 disengages contact 208 a circuit 210 is interrupted from the positive conductor 197 through the switch 157 to a solenoid valve 211 of the air cylinder 104, for de-energizing said solenoid valve so that air is bled from the outer end of the cylinder 104 and bypassed through tube 212 to pressurize the end of the cylinder connected to the bracket 106 (FIG. 12). When this occurs the piston rod 107 is propelled from right to left for reversing the direction of travel of the carriage 110 and for moving the carriage from right to left of FIGURES l and 12, back toward the feeder head. During this travel, a check valve, not shown, in the piston of the hydro-check 105, which is a conventional unit, opens to render the hydro-check inoperative so that the carriage can be propelled rapidly toward the wall 28 on its return movement.

As the carriage approaches the wall 28 the lower push rod 153 will first engage the abutment 167, after which the upper push rod 152 will engage the abutment #166. As the rod 153 has been moved further to the right of FIGURE 8 than the rod 152 by engagement with the abutment 164, the restricted portions 155 and 156 will simultaneously reach their positions of FIGURE 8 being displaced from right to left of the hanger 151, so that the rollers of the switches 157 and 158 will move into the restricted portions 155 and 156 at the same instant to permit the switch blades 194 and 207 to return simultaneously to their full line positions of FIGURE I19 for completing the electric circuits 196 and 210. Completion of the electric circuit 196 will energize the solenoid vlave 135 for supplying compressed air to the chamber 126 and for bleeding the chamber 127 so that diaphragm 124 will be distended to the left of FIGURE 12, to move the cam surface 198 into engagement with the cam surface 199 for closing the collet 118 in gripping engagement around the twisted portions 213 of the wires 97 and 98 which protrude from the wheels 46 and 84 and are left after completion of the shearing operation of the blades 178. Energizing the solenoid 211 supplies air to the outer end of the cylinder 104 and allows the air to be bled from the inner end of said cylinder through the conduit 212, for propelling the piston rod 107 and the carriage 110 from left to right of FIGURES 3 and 1-2. During initial travel of the carriage 110 away from the wall 28, a needle valve 214 of an electric valve 215 of the hydro-check 105 (FIG. 19), which valve is conventional, will regulate the rate of travel of the piston rod 108 and thus the speed of travel of the carriage 110.

Closing of the switch 158 also energizes the electric circuit 200 to the magnetic clutch 117, which circuit includes a power supply unit 216, a manually adjustable potentiometer 217, and a switch 218, the contacts 219 and 220 of which are in engagement for completing an electric circuit through the potentiometer 217 to the magnetic clutch 117. The power supply unit 216 converts the alternating current into direct current the voltage of which is controlled by the potentiometer 217. A low voltage is employed through the potentiometer 217 to allow slippage of the clutch 117 and of the shaft 116 and collet 118 relative to the motor shaft 137, so that the collet will be rotated slowly to twist the wires 97 and 98 as said wires leave the grooves 101 of the wheels 46 and 84 by the pull exerted thereon from left to right of FIGURE 1 by the collet moving away from the wall 28. As the wires 97 and 98 travel in engagement with the wheels 46 and 84, said wheels are rotated in opposite directions by engagement of Wires in the grooves 101 thereof and turned so that the adjacent peripheral portions thereof are moving away from the passage 190 and in the same direction as the wires are being drawn through said wheels. The grooves 101 prevent intertwisting of the wires 97 and 98 until the wires disengage said grooves. Since the feed bar 55 is operating as previously described while the wires are being pulled through the wheels, bristles 52 will be injected between the converging portions of the wires 97 and 98 which are moving into positions between the two wheels, so that these bristles will be gripped between said converging wire portions and, to some extent, between the wheel peripheries. Thus, the bristles will be fed continuously by being injected into the wires by the pressure exerted on the bristles in the passage 190 by the feed bar 55, and will also be extracted from the passage 190 by gripping engagement of the two wires with the bristles. Thus, a substantial uniform feeding of the bristles will occur whenever the wires are moving outwardly from between the wheels 46 and 84 and when the bristle stop 85 is in an inoperative position, as seen in FIGURE 3. It will also be apparent that the clutch 71 can be adjusted to vary the pressure of the bristles being injected into the wires and thus the quantity of bristles carried by any given length of the wires. As soon as the two wires 97 and 98, with the bristles engaged therebetween, emerge from engagement with the wheel grooves 101, the wires will be intertwisted as seen at 221 in FIGURES 17 and 18 for clamping the intermediate portions of the bristles 52 therein.

Assuming that three blocks 143 are secured in the channel 140, the roller 150 of the switch 147 will ride over the upper edge of each block 143 and while in engagement therewith will hold the movable contact 222, FIG. 19, in engagement with contact 223 for completing an electric circuit 224 through the switch 147 from the positive conductor 197 to the solenoid valve 96. When this circuit is completed the solenoid valve 96 is energized for supplying air through tube 95 to the pneumatic ram 89 and for bleeding air from the tube 94, to displace the bristle stop 85 downwardly so that its points 88 will straddle the adjacent peripheral portions of the wheels 46 and 84 and the wire portions passing therebetween for interrupting the supply of bristles from the passage 190 to the wires 97 and 98. While the bristle stop 85 is thus in its down or operative position, the clutch 71 will slip so that operation of the feeder bar 55 will be interrupted in the same manner as when the wires 97 and 98 are not being pulled between the wheels 46 and 84. This will ultimately produce an item 240, as seen in FIGURE 17, having a number of short brush-like elements or pinwheels 225 disposed in spaced apart relation to one another, each of which is formed by the machine 20 during travel of the carriage away from the wall 28 and while the switch 147 is in an open position due to its roller not being in engagement with a block `143. The spacing of the blocks 143 relative to one another determines the lengths of the bare twisted Wire portions 221 between the brush-like portions 225. If all of the blocks 143 are removed from the channel 140 the tem 241 of FIGURE 18 will be produced consisting of one long brush body 226. It will also be apparent that other variations of the items 240 and 241 could be produced by utilizing one or more of the blocks 143 since whenever the switch 147 is not closed, during travel of the collet 118 away from the wall 28, bristles 52 are fed into the wires 97 and 98.

As the carriage 110 approaches the end of its travel away from the wall 28, the rollers 150 of the two switches 147 and 148 will simultaneously ride onto the flange 146 for closing both switches. This will complete the circuit 224 through switch 147 for energizing the solenoid valve 96 and actuate the bristle stop 85, to interrupt feeding of the bristles, as heretofore described. Closing of the switch 148 will complete a circuit 227, which includes a part of the circuit 196 and the switches 158 and 148 in series, for energizing a relay 228 of which the switch arm 219 forms a part, for moving said arm 219 out of engagement with Contact 220 and into engagement with the contact 229 of the switch 218, so that a second potentiometer 230 will be interposed in the circuit 200 between the voltage supply 216 and the magnetic clutch 117 and with the potentiometer 217 disconnected from said circuit. Voltage of a higher order will then be supplied through the potentiometer 230 to the clutch 117 for reducing the slippage between the armature shaft 137 and spindle shaft 116, to increase the rate of rotation of the collet 118 for producing a second or tighter intertwisting of the wire portions 221 after feeding of the bristles has been completed, to tightly clamp the bristles in the intertwisted wires. Closing of the switch 148 also completes an electric circuit 231 to the electric valve 215, and which includes the switches 158 and 148 and parts of the electric circuits 196 and 227, for energizing the electric Valve 215. When the valve 215 is thus energized the other needle valve 232 thereof is rendered operative to increase the retarding etfect of the hydro-check 105 to slow down the rate of travel of the carriage 110 away from the wall 28, after the bristle feeding has been terminated and while the collet `118 is being revolved rapidly to produce the final tight twisting of the wires, so that this finished twisting of the wires is accomplished with a shorter length of travel of the carriage 110, thus economizing on the amount of the twisted wires left beyond each end of the multiple or single brush items as seen in FIGURES 17 and 18.

Subsequent to closing of the switches 147 and 148 and after a further predetermined travel of the carriage 110 away from the wall 28, as determined by the location of the plate 162, the rod 153 will strike the abutment 164 to release the twisted wires from the collet 118, as previously described, after which the switch 171 will be closed by engagement of its roller 169 with the strip 168 to effect the shearing off of the manufactured item 240 or 241, also as previously described. It will also be apparent that when the carriage 110 commences its travel back toward the Wall 28, as previously described, that the roller 169 Will move out of engagement with the strip 168 to open the switch 171 for de-energizing the solenoid valve 293. When this occurs, compressed air is supplied to the upper end of the cylinder 181 and bled from the lower end thereof, so that the shear or cutter 173 is returned to its retracted inoperative position of FIGUREVZ. This is accomplished by the rod 182 initially pulling downwardly on the links 183 for causing the fastenings 185 to move toward one another for swinging the cutting edges 206 away from one another and so that the fasteni 1 ings 185 can enter the narrow portion of the opening 184 and travel downwardly therein.

As the rod 152 is displaced from left to right of FIG- URE 8 by engagement with the abutment 164, as previously described, to effect reversal of direction of travel of the carriage 110, movement of the switch arm 207 to its dotted line position in engagement with the Contact 209 in addition to breaking the circuit 210 completes an electric circuit 233 from the positive conductor 197 and the contacts 207 and 269 around the switch 147 to the solenoid valve 36, to maintain said valve energized during the return travel of the carriage 110 toward the wall 28, so that the bristle stop 85 will not be actuated by the opening and closing of the switch 147 during this return travel of the carriage.

The wires 97 and 98 may extend to the machine 20 from reels 234 and 235, respectively, which are mounted to rotate independently of one another. Rotation of both reels may be stopped by a conventional electric brake 236 which is connected in an electric circuit 237 through the switch 158 to the conductor 197, so that when the switch 158 is closed to effect release of the twisted wires from the collet 118, as previously described, the .brake 236 will be energized for applying a braking force simultaneously to both reels 234 and 235, to prevent the wires 97 and 98 being payed out from said reels while the wires are not being pulled by the collet 118.

As seen in FIGURE 2, the axles 45 and 83 have laterally extending handles 238 which normally engage stops 239 which project outwardly from the wall 28. Said axles may be rotated by the handles 238 for disengaging said handles from the stops 239 to facilitate removal of the axles for removal and replacement of the wheels 46 and 84, for utilizing wheels of different sizes and having grooves of different cross sectional sizes for accommodating wires of different gauges. Removal of the axle 45 also facilitates removal and replacement of the feeder unit which is connected to the machine only by said axle.

The positive conductor 197 may lead from a conventional electrical outlet supplying alternating current of 115 volts. The other negative conductor 242 may be grounded as seen at 243 to the machine frame 21 and to which the various circuits are grounded, including the circuits 244 and 245 through which current is supplied to the electric motors 74 and 136.

Referring to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that after one of the manufactured items 240 or 241 is cut oft and dropped from the machine, as heretofore described, the twisted wire portions 213 project outwardly a short distance from the wheels 46 and 84. This short intertwisted portion of the two wires prevents the wires from moving back between the wheels from right to left of FIGURE 3 and thus eliminates the need for a clamp or other holding device for holding the wires after the shearing operation and until the wires are again engaged and gripped by the collet 118.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a brush making machine, guide means having an entrance and an exit and through which two wires move for changing the direction of travel of the wires and forming a bight in the wires at said entrance, means feeding bristles into the bight of the wires to be gripped by the wires in passing therewith through said guide means, means engaging the wires .beyond the exit of the guide means for pulling the wires away from said exit and for simultaneously intertwisting the wires for clamping the bristles between the portions of the wires emerging from the exit, and selectively operated means carried by the guide means and movable into a position for obstructing said entrance to interrupt feeding of the bristles into por- 1.2 tions of the two wires passing simultaneously through said guide means.

2. In a brush making machine as in claim 1, said bristle feed means including means urging bristles toward said entrance and the bight of the wires.

3. In a brush making machine as in claim 1, said guide means including means engaging the wire portions passing therethrough to prevent intertwisting of said wire portions prior to emergence thereof from said exit.

4. In a brush making machine as in claim 1, and means for cutting off the twisted wires beyond and adjacent said exit actuated selectively and automatically by a predetermined travel of the means engaging the wires away from said guide means.

5. In a brush making machine as in claim 4, and means automatically releasing the wires from said means engaging the wires prior to the operation of said means for cutting olf the wires.

6. In a brush making machine, bristle feeding means including a magazine provided with an outlet passage, a pair of freely rotatable wheels mounted on said magazine and having adjacently disposed peripheral portions positioned adjacent said outlet passage and .between which two wires move in a direction away from the outlet passage and by which the wire portions engaging said wheels are caused to converge relative to one another, said bristle feeding means propelling bristles through the outlet passage toward said adjacent peripheral portions of the wheels, in the direction of travel of the wires between the wheels, for injecting the bristles between the wires to be gripped thereby in passing between the wheels, and means engaging and pulling the wires away from said wheels and from the bristle feeding means.

7. In a brush making machine as in claim 6, said last mentioned means including a rotating collet in which the wires are gripped for intertwisting the portions of the wires emerging from said wheels for clamping the bristles therein.

8. In a brush making machine as in claim 7, and means for selectively and automatically varying the torque on said collet for varying the speed of rotation of the collet while in engagement with the wires and during travel thereof away from said wheels.

9. In a brush making machine as in claim 6, said last mentioned means including a rotating collet in which the wires are gripped for intertwisting the portions of the wires emerging from said wheels for clamping the bristles therein, and said wheels having peripheral grooves in which the wires engage to prevent intertwisting of the wire portions engaging said wheels and into which the bristles are fed.

10. In a brush making machine as `in claim 6, and means guiding the wires for movement between said magazine and said wheels and in opposite directions toward the wheels.

11. A brush making machine as in claim 6, a carriage supporting said means engaging the wires, ways on which said carriage is supported for movement toward and away from the wire guide, and means reciprocably propelling said carriage.

12. In a brush -making machine as in claim 11, and means responsive to the travel of said carriage in both directions for automatically reversing the direction of travel of the carriage.

13. In a brush making machine as in claim 12, said last mentioned means including a manually adustable part for varying the distance of travel of the carriage away from said wire guide.

14. In a brush making machine as in claim 13, and a power operated shear means automatically operated by the movement of said carriage for cutting off the twisted wires adjacent the wire guide and for movement toward and away from the path of travel of said carriage.

15. In a brush making machine, a bristle magazine having a slotted bottom, a toothed feeder bar supported for 13 reciprocating and sliding movement in said slotted bottom for engaging and feeding bristle material from said magazine, and means driving said feeder bar including an automatic release interrupting operation of the feeder bar when discharge of the bristles from the magazine is obstructed.

16. In a brush making machine as in claim 15, and means for adjusting the size of the bristle magazine for accommodating bristles of different lengths for producing brushes of different diameters.

17. In a brush making machine as in claim 15, and means for manually adjusting said automatic release for varying the rate of discharge of the bristles for producing brushes of dilerent bristle densities.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A BRUSH MAKING MACHINE, GUIDE MEANS HAVING AN ENTRANCE AND AN EXIT AND THROUGH WHICH TWO WIRES MOVE FOR CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE WIRES AND FORMING A BIGHT IN THE WIRES AT SAID ENTRANCE, MEANS FEEDING BRISTLES INTO THE BIGHT OF THE WIRES TO BE GRIPPED BY HE WIRES IN PASSING THEREWITH THROUGH SAID GUIDE MEANS, MEANS ENGAGING THE WIRES BEYOND THE EXIT OF THE GUIDE MEANS FOR PULLING THE WIRES AWAY FROM SAID EXIT AND FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY INTERTWISTING THE WIRES FOR CLAMPING THE BRISTLES BETWEEN THE PORTIONS OF THE WIRES EMERGING FROM THE EXIT, AND SELECTIVELY OPERATED MEANS CARRIED BY THE GUIDE MEANS AND MOVABLE INTO A POSITION FOR OBSTRUCTING SAID ENTRANCE TO INTERRUPT FEEDING OF THE BRISTLES INTO PORTIONS OF THE TWO WIRES PASSING SIMULTANEOUSLY THROUGH SAID GUIDE MEANS. 